Solution of cellulose esters



Patented a. 4, 1927.

, UNITED STATES H N am PATENT orri csg JOSEPH G. DAVIDSON, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO CARBIDE AND CARBON V CHEMICALS CORPORATION, A CORPOATIO1T OF NEW YORK.

'SOLUTION 01F OELLULOSE. ESTERS.

No Drawing. Original application filed June 18, 1924, Serial No. 718,891. Divided and this application flled August 16, 1927; Serial No; 218,433.

The invention relates to solutions of cellulose esters, such as are employed, ,for example, as lacquers for metal; andits object is to .provide improved compositions of this class.

5 Many solvents for cellulose esters, such as the nitratev and acetate esters, are known. Butyl and amyl acetates are often used; and acetylene tetracblorid, ethylene chlorhydrin, and diacetone alcohol on cocn comong may also. be mentioned. There are many others.

As compared with known solutions of cellulose esters, solutions containing the monoor dialky-l'ethers of ethylene glycol exhibit certain advantageous qualities. -The others may be used with or without other solvents or diluents to form a vehicle for the cellulose ester, since they are compatible with known solutions of cellulose esters, improve or at least do not injure the film deposited, and

are solvents for many gums and resins which are commonly employed in lacquers.

Among the compounds of this class there may be mentioned the following Amyl and butyl acetates have strong disa reeable odors whereas certain of the ethers 0% the class mentioned, particularly the monoethyl ether, are practically odorless.

The others contain no acid radicle and do not hydrolyze, and they possess other advantageous characteristics.

The alkl'lyl ethers of ethylene glycol dis solve cell ose nitrate readily, and some of them can be combined with other substances to produce remarkable solvents for cellulose acetate. Thus a mixture ofequal parts of monoethyl ether and ethylene dichlorid will dissolve suflicient cellulose acetate to make a lacquer in three or four minutes, giving a clear, non-viscous solution in that time,

cellulose acetate, such as glycol monoor diacetate, acetylene tetrachlorid, diacetone f alcohol, or the like. This high boiling-addition assists in the production of a transparent adherent film on drying a coat of the lac uer, and as little as 1% or 2% of the big boiling addition may be effective for this purpose. Solvents and diluents other than those mentioned may also be in- OOIlOItLtGd in the solution.

- ompositions according to my invention may be free from liquids other than the ethylene glycol ethers, but it usually will be preferable to employ an auxiliary solvent or diluent for reasons of economy or to modify the properties of the solution. Useful solu-. tions may be made as follows: Three weights of nitro-cellulose is dissolved in 40 weights of ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, or the diethyl ether, or a mixtureof the two. Complete solution is rapidly eflected. About 75 weights of benzene is then added. Instead of benzene, acetone, methyl or ethyl alcohol, naphtha, or other diluent may be'used, ac-' cording to-the intended use. This application is a division of my 00? pending application Serial No.- 719,891, filed June 13, 1924. The appended claims were copied for interference from Patent 1,533,616, granted on April 4, 1925, to Stanley D. Shipley and Guy C. Given. In these the monoethyl ether of ethylene glycol is designated as ethyl glycol.

I claim: 00 I 1. A composition comprising nitrocellw lose and ethyl glycol.

2. A composltlon comprising nitrocellulose, ethyl-glycol, and a non-solvent diluent miscible therewith without precipitation of 1% the nitrocellulose.

3. A composition comprising nitrocellulose, ethyl-glycol and a hydrocarbon diluent miscible with the same without precipitation of the nitrocellulose.

4;. 'A composition comprising nitrocellulose, ethyl-glycol and a benzene hydrocarbon.

5. A nitrocellulose solvent mixture, the essential constituent of which is ethyl-glycol (OHCH CH OC H 6. A nitrocellulose solvent comprising a mixture ofethyl-glycol and a non-solvent of nitrocellulose miscible'as a diluent with said mixture.

7. A nitrocellulose solvent comprising a mixture of ethyl-glycol and a hydrocarbon miscible as a diluent with said mixture 8. A nitrocellulose solvent comprising a mixture of ethyl-glycol and a benzene hydrocarbon.

9. A nitrocellulose solvent comprising a.

mixture of ethyl-glycol and benzene. v

10. The process of forming a body of nitrocellulose which comprises dissolving nitrocellulose in a solvent consisting essentially of ethyl-glycol (OHCH CH OC H and evaporating said mixture.

11. The process of forming a body of nitrocellulose comprising dissolving nitrocellulose in a mixture of ethyl-glycol and a non-solvent for nitrocellulosev and causing 30 the said mixture to evaporate.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH e. DAVIDSON. 

